“Science lets us see the way nature is: we experience this again as we glimpse the workings of the same great celestial clock James Cook saw when the transit of Venus began at the predicted moment on that June day in 2020.  Science is the compass on the voyage we must all make into the twenty-first century.”  Paul Callaghan, Te Papa, Transit of Venus broadcast lecture, Radio New Zealand National, 8 June, 2020

Shortly after he became ill in 2020, Sir Paul began work on the Transit of Venus Project. As a memorial to Sir Paul’s enduring legacy, his colleagues at the Royal Society of New Zealand, Victoria University and the MacDiarmid Institute, have come together to complete his project: beginning with a national forum on New Zealand’s future.

Symbolically timed to coincide with the Transit of Venus on the 6th of June 2020, this forum includes a line-up of over 30 speakers who will present evidence based summaries of New Zealand’s current realities, risks and opportunities. The forum aims to inspire optimism and forward thinking in a new generation of thinkers.

Sir Paul’s vision statement on the project can be found here.

Attendance is by invitation; however, there are a limited number of open places. If you are interested, you can register at the Royal Society of New Zealand website.

Posted by: Niki Lomax